Canopy supporting tool



Feb. 9, 196% Filed Dec. 28, 1955 E.J.NQLAN ETAL CANOPY SUPPORTING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet l HVVENTURS. fiifiiard cl Ablan, Daniel H. Pf/ay, and Fnnfii fibberta WW I ATTORNEY- 3969 E. J. NOLAN ETAL 2,24,43

CANOPY SUPPORTING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1955 as I INVENTORS. Edward J. Nolan, y Daniel h. Pflzzy, and

Frank Robe/"[8.

United States Patent CANOPY SUPPORTING TOOL Edward Joseph Nolan, Central Islip, Daniel Howard 7 Pflug, Hempstead, and Frank Roberts, Bethpage, N.Y.,

asslgnors to Republic Aviation Corporation, near Farmmgdale, Suffolk County, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 28, 1955, Serial No. 555,883

1 Claim. (Cl. 243-354) This invention relates generally to supporting devices and more particularly to an implement or tool for the temporary support of a body in a position out of its normal position to permit access under and around the supported body and the quick and easy return or reinstallation of the supported body to its normal positron.

The present invention has in view, among other things, a supporting implement which is of relatively inexpensive and simple construction and includes means by which the supported body is retained and locked in position not only against downward movement under its own weight but also against further upward movement. Thus, when the body is disposed in its supported position by means of the subject implement, it is positively secured in a predetermined fixed position until such time as it is intentionally released and returned to its original or normal position.

In addition, the instant invention contemplates connection means to secure the present tool both to the supported body and to an associated structure whereby relative .lateral movement therebetween is virtually eliminated.

, With the above and other'objects in view, as will be apparent, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

.Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the present implement or tool to show generally its application to aircraft wherein it is employed to temporarily support the cockpit closureor "canopy out of its normal position on the fuselage, only that portion of the fuselage which defines the cockpit being shown;

Fig. 2 is a detailed elevation, partly in section, of the present toolextended to itsoperative ,position, showing the tool contracted in phantom lines; and

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the present .tool taken at right .angles to Fig. '2.

The present tool, while it may be useful generally, has particular utility in connection with the service, inspection and-maintenance .of aircraft. For example, in airplanes employing canopies or closures which are hinged to the fuselage or which oscillate on and over thevfuselage to and from the closed position, it interferes with workin .andabout thecockpit area and with servicing the airplane.

;It has been the practice to completely remove the canopy from the fuselage when it is necessary to have unobstructed access to the cockpit, particularly for the removal of the .pilotis seat in order to work on parts, equipment, etc., located under the seat or at the sides of :the seat. -In the alternative, the forward end of the canopy has been disconnected fromits supporting arms so that it :could .be swung rearwardly over the fuselage aft Of .the :cockpit where :it would be either manually supported 101' the permittedwto rest ,on the ifuselage. Either of these methods of obtaining unobstructed access to the cockpit has been unsatisfactory because of frequent damage to the canopy or to the fuselage, occasioned by wind tearing the canopy from its attachment to the fuselage, dropping the canopy upon and injuring service personnel, or marring, scratching or breaking the synthetic resin or glass of the canopy in removing it or while it is removed.

The present invention proposes to overcome these as well as other objections inherent in the above practices by the provision of a supporting device or tool by which the canopy may be quickly and easily located and held in a position to permit free and unobstructed access to the cockpit area. At the same time, the canopy remains at all times secured to the fuselage against all movement relative thereto and disposed in a position to readily resume its normal position and operation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 designates a fragment of the fuselage having a cockpit 11 therein. A transparent closure or canopy 12 is mounted on the fuselage and normally adapted to swing to and from positions Where it overlies and encloses the cockpit 11. To this end a plurality of levers or arms 13 are pivotally secured or hinged to the fuselage adjacent and within the cockpit 11 and each arm 13 is pivotally attached at its outer end to the frame or apron of the canopy 12 at points adjacent the forward and aft ends thereof. Thus, the canopy, in moving from the position where it covers and encloses the cockpit 11 to its open position substantially aft of and at least partly over the cockpit 11, is oscillated outwardly and rearwardly of the fuselage by the arms 13.

In order to secure or lock the canopy 12 to the fuselage in a position overlying and enclosing the cockpit 11, a series of catches or books 14 is provided along the apron of the canopy 12. Each of these hooks 14 projects downwardly from the apron to be received within a complementary slot 15 in the fuselage 10 along the edge 10 thereof defining the cockpit 1 1 when the canopy 12 is in its closed position. Suitable belts or latches (not shown) are employed within the fuselage frame adjacent the slots 15 to engage the books 14 and thereby lock the canopy 12 in its closed position.

The present supporting tool, generally designated at 16, is adapted to be immovably connected atone of .its ends to the edge surface 10' on one side of the fuselage and at its other end to the apron of the canopy 12 when the canopy is disposed in its open position. Broadly, this tool 16 comprises a base plate 17 which rests on the edge 10 of the fuselage 10, an upstanding hollow stanchion 18 fixedly secured to the upper surface of the plate 17 and a sleeve 33 slidably mounted on the :upper or outer end of the stanchion for connection to the canopy 12.

The base plate 17 is relatively thin and preferably rectangular in shape. The stanchion 18, at its lower end, terminates in a lateral member or face plate 19 which may be formed on or secured at theend thereof. "The outer surface of the face plate or member 19 is adapted to abut or rest flush on the upper .face of the base :plate 17 adjacent one edge thereof in substantially the longitudinal center of the plate 17. A plurality .of holes pierces the plates 17 and 19 for the passage therethrough of bolts 29 whereby the stanchion 18 is immovably secured to'the base plate17. The bottom face of the :base plate 17 defining each of these holes is recessed, as at 21, to receive and countersink the heads of the bolts 20.

An upstanding angular bracket .22 ,is provided ,at the opposite transverse edge of the base plate 1 7. The lower or outer face of one side or arm of :the angular bracket 22 abuts or rests flush on the upper surface of the base plate .17 to which his fixedly secured by a plurality of bolts 23 substantially identical to the bolts disposed substantially parallel to the stanchion 18. A number of webs or gussets24 are interposed between the adjacent faces of the angularly disposed sides or arms of the bracket 22. i V

A slot' 25 pierces the base plate 17 adjacent the upstanding arm of the bracket 22 substantially midway in the length of the bracket 22 to receive a depending catch or hook 26. This hook 26 extends integrally from a mounting plate 27 which is secured face-to-face to the upstanding arm of the bracket 22 adjacent the stanchion 18. The fitting, comprising the mounting plate 27 and the hook or catch 26 carried thereby is equivalent to the fitting terminating in the hook 14 secured to the apron of the canopy 12. Thus, when the base plate 17 is disposed on the edge of the cockpit 11, the hook 26 is adapted to be received within one of the slots in the same manner as the hook 14 on the canopy 12 is received therein. The locking mechanism employed to engage and secure hook 14 therein may, therefore, be similarly employed to secure the hook 26. With the hook 26 so secured to the fuselage 10, the base plate 17 projects outwardly from the fuselage 10 to dispose the stanchion 18 outwardly of the edge 10 of the fuselage 10.

In order to lend additional support to the stanchion 18 in its upright position relative to the base plate 17, a pair of braces 28 is employed. These braces 28 are substantially identical one with the other and are secured, in any suitable manner, to opposite sides of the stanchion 18 medially of its length. The opposite or outer end of each of the braces 28 is connected as at 29 to the upper face of the base plate 17 adjacent the associated end thereof. If required, a shim 30 of substantially the same shape and area as the base plate 17 maybe cemented or otherwise secured to the bottom surface of the base plate 17 to thereby cover and enclose the heads of all the attachm'ent means or bolts 20, 23 and 29. At the same time the shim 30 provides an outer or lower surface for flush and level abutment with the edge 10' of the fuselage 10. A slot, conforming in size and shape to the slot in the base plate 17, so pierces the shim that it registers with the slot 25 when the shim is thus secured to the base plate 17, to accommodate and permit the passage of the hook or catch 26 through the shim.

The stanchion 18 is preferably hollow or tubular and square or rectangular in section. At its upper or outer end, a lateral flange 32 is provided for reasons to become more apparent.

On the central portion of the stanchion 18, i.e. that portion of the stanchion between the upper ends of the braces 28 and the flange 32, a sleeve 33 is slidably mounted. This sleeve 33. has substantially the same contour in cross-section as the stanchion 18 and is adapted to slide freely thereon. A plate or shelf 34 is secured to and projects laterally from and normal to the sleeve 33 in the direction away from the stanchion 18 to be disposed generally above the bracket 22 on the base plate 17. On its upper surface, this plate 34 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel ears 35. A pair of aligned apertures pierce the cars 35 adjacent their outer ends to receive a pin or bolt 36.

In order to prevent accidental displacement of the pin or bolt 36 from the apertures in the ears 35, any suitable means may be employed. An example of such means is a ball lock pin wherein the balls 36 are removably projected outwardly of the end of the pin or bolt 36 tobear against the outer face of one of said ears to counteract a tendency, if any, of the pin to move outwardly of the car 35. This bolt or pin 36 simulates generally the latch means within the fuselage adjacent the slots 15 to engage hooks 14 carried by the canopy 12 to thereby lock the canopy in its closed position. Connection of the arms 13 to the canopy 12 may be accomplished in a manner like that clearly disclosed in Patent No. 2,828,094 issued to George Hildebrand on March 25, 1958. Thus, the bolt or pin 36 may be engaged by one of these hooks 14 when the forward end of the canopy 12 is disconnected from the arms 13 and the tool 16 is positioned to support the canopy (Fig. 1).

The pin or bolt 36 terminates in a lateral arm 37 at its outer end which, when the pin is seated in the apertures of the ears 35, rests approximately parallel to said ears. An anchoring or retaining cable or wire -38 has one of its ends riveted or otherwise secured to the extremity of the arm 37 and its opposite end similarly secured to any convenient part of the bracket 34. Thus, the bolt 36 is maintained connected to the assembly at all times especially when it is not seated in the ears 35 of the bracket 34 and engaged by one of the hooks 14 on the canopy.

The bottom face of the bracket 34 is formed with a pair of longitudinal depending webs 39 extending between the bracket 34 and the adjoining face of the sleeve 33. A pivot pin or bolt 40 pierces the webs 39 and extends laterally across the space defined by these webs to receive and pivotally mount therein a fixed length link 41 which, for thjs purpose, terminates in an eyelet or hole 41'. I

The link 41 is freely rotatable on the bolt 40 and, at its end opposed to the eyelet 41', terminates in a lateral projection 43 which extends toward the stanchion 18. The outer end of this projection 43 is disposed angularly to the body of the projection to create a lug 44 which extends outwardly in a plane parallel to that of the link 41 or normal to the projection 43.

At predetermined points in the length of the stanchion, 18, between the ends of the braces 28 and the top flange 32 and in the side of the stanchion 18 adjacent link 41,"

one or more slots 45 is provided. Each of these slots 45 is of a size to permit the passage of the lug 44 and ofthe projection 43 whereby said projection and lug may be engaged and secured to the stanchion 18. Thus,- when the sleeve or slide 33 is moved to a selected position on the stanchion 18, the link 41 may be rotated on the bolt 40 relative to the bracket 34, and the projection 43 and lug 44 may be inserted and seated in one of the slots 45. When the end of the link 41 is so attached to the stanchion 18, the bracket 34 is held and retained in the selected position on the stanchion 18.

Additional locking means is provided to insure the retention of projection 43 and lug 44 in the selected slot 45 by preventing any upward movement of the projection and lug in the slot whereby the lug would be moved into alignment with the slot and located for outward movement through the same. To this end, holes 46 pierce the transverse sides of the stanchion 18 adjacent to each slot 45. Each pair of holes thus provided is aligned one with the other and is disposed medially of' the length of the adjoining slot 45 for the reception of a pin or bolt 47. This bolt 47 when in these holes, overlies and contacts the projection 43 and 111g 44 positioned within the slot 45. A cable or wire 48 is connected at one end to the outer extremity of the pin or bolt 47 and at its other end, to the projection 43. When bolt 47 is operatively inserted in the selected holes 46, it traverses the stanchion 18 at right angles to the projection 43 of the link 41 and abuts the transverse edge of such projection 43 in opposition to the lug 44.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that when the canopy 12 is raised to its open position, the present tool 16 may be positioned with its base plate 17 resting flush on the edge 10' of the fuselage 10 and the hook 26 inserted in one of the slots 15 (Fig. 1). The standard lock mechanism employed to engage the hooks 14 of the canopy 12 and thereby secure the canopy in the closed position may be similarly employed to engage the hook 26. One of the hooks 14 carried by the canopy at its forward end then may be connected to the pin or bolt 36 of the bracket 34 and locked thereto between the earl 35. The supporting arms 13 which connect the forward end of the canopy 12 to the fuselage 10 can then be disconnected at their upper ends from the canopy 12. The canopy 12 may now be raised to the desired position by sliding the sleeve 33 upwardly on the stanchion 18 and the projection 43 at the outer or free end of the link 41 inserted in the appropriate slot 45 in the stanchion. The lock pin 47 is then inserted in the pair of holes 46 adjacent the selected slot 45 to prevent the disconnection of the link 41 from the stanchion 18. With the canopy '12 so disposed, it is completely removed from its normal position overlying the cockpit 11 of the fuselage 10. Thus, access is more readily had to the cockpit for the removal of components or parts therein and for free ingress and egress thereto.

At the same time the canopy 12 remains connected to the fuselage 10 at all times through the supporting arm or arms 13 at the aft end of the canopy and cockpit. When the tool 16 is thus positioned, the forward end of the canopy 12 is entirely supported thereby and the tool, in conjunction with the aft arm or arms 13, prevents lateral movement or displacement of the canopy with respect to the fuselage 10. The possibility of the canopy being removed or torn from the fuselage by wind or dropping on personnel Working in or about the cockpit 11 is overcome. Moreover, the canopy need not be removed from the airplane to obtain free and unobstructed access to the cockpit and may be easily and readily returned to its normal operative position.

What is claimed is:

A supporting tool comprising a base plate, an upstanding stanchion secured to one face of said plate and against relative movement thereto, a depending connector secured to said plate and projecting from the op posite face thereof for engagement with supporting structure, a bracket slidably mounted on said stanchion, an upstanding connector carried by said bracket and including means engaging and fixedly securing a body against movement relative to said bracket, a link pivotally connected at one of its ends to the bracket in opposition to said connector and terminating in a lateral projection having a depending lug, a plurality of spaced complemental slots in the stanchion to receive and retain said projection and lug thereby locating the bracket in a selected position on said stanchion and retaining the same in said position, and a retaining pin releasably holding said projection and lug in the selected position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,436,499 Williams Feb. 24, 1948 2,479,713 Beach Aug. 23, 1949 2,618,497 Gardels Nov. 18, 1952 2,675,132 Susil Apr. 13, 1954 2,719,693 Penberthy Oct. 4, 1955 2,738,972 Morris Mar. 20, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 193,801 Switzerland Jan. 17, 1938 

